The Loaded Table: Representations of Food in Roman Literature - Couverture rigide

Gowers, Emily

Couverture rigide

ISBN 10 : 0198146957 ISBN 13 : 9780198146957

Editeur : Clarendon Press, 1993

Synopsis

This book offers an unconventional approach to Roman culture, through food - or rather, food as it is represented in literature. Food is not generally thought of as the noblest of literary subjects, and this view is a legacy from the Romans, so it is curious that Roman writers chose so persistently to depict their society at the dinner-table. Why this was so, and what effect the inclusion of food had on the status of the literary texts that contained it, are among the questions discussed here. The book also addresses any of the problems that arise when a material subject is translated into words, and contains fresh interpretations of Latin texts that have been unjustly undervalued - comedy, satire, epigrams, letters and iambics. While often regarded as something trivial and gross, food was in fact one of the most suggestive images for Roman civilization.

A propos du livre

Présentation de l'éditeur

This book offers a novel and unconventional approach to Roman culture through food as it is represented in literature. Although food is not generally thought of as the noblest of literary subjects - and this view is a legacy from the Romans - it is curious that Roman writers chose so persistantly to depict their society at the dinner table. Why this was so, and what effect the inclusion of food had on the status of the literary texts that contained it, are among the questions discussed. The author also looks into many of the problems that arise when a material subject is translated into words, and interprets afresh many Latin texts, such as comedy, satire, epigrams, letters ,and iambics, that have been unjustly undervalued. She reaches the conclusion that, while often regarded as something trivial and gross, food was in fact one of the most suggestive images for Roman civilisation. `a feast in every sense' Joint Association of Classical Teachers Review `clever and elegantly written book...revealing the multi-valent significance of food in the works of various Roman authors' Religious Studies Review I`In exploring the many possibilities for artifice in the relationship between language, literature and eating, this impressive book is itself an elegant, cross-cultural construction' Classical Review `The persistence and ingenuity with which she seeks out underlying meanings, symbolisms,"codes", and all suchlike phenomena in her chosen texts is admirable...and her own writing is clear and sometimes witty' PPC `The book lives up to its promise of offering new interpretations of food in Roman literature...G's well-researched and wide-ranging bibliography (a major strength of this book) shows just how much work has been done on the cultural significance of food in general and on food in antiquity in particular' Journal of Roman Studies

Revue de presse

One might say that she works at many levels, but never on the surface. The persistence and ingenuity with which she seeks out underlying meanings, symbolisms, codes, and all suchlike phenomena in her chosen texts is admirable, ie one can but admire it; and her own writing is clear and sometimes witty...will be a standard reference for a very long time to come and the Clarendon Press are to congratulated on the elegance of their production, jsut as the author is to be felicitated on a truly massive job of research (Petits Propos Culinaires)

This is a witty and engaging book, written with a certain vigor of conviction and purpose...The best thing about the book is G.'s fine literary sensitivity, spirited writing, humour, and openness to conflicting approaches to literature: she looks at old things in new ways...even at those times when I cannot agree with her, she forces me to think and to reason why I cannot. This is a rich book without being fat.

Détails de l'édition

• Éditeur: Clarendon Press
• Date d'édition: 1993
• Langue: anglais
• ISBN 10: 0198146957
• ISBN 13: 9780198146957
• Reliure: Relié
• Nombre de pages: 346
• Coordonnées du fabricant: non disponible
• Personne responsable: Ufficio Anagrafiche Messaggerie; ufficio.anagrafiche@meli.it; ; Via Verdi, 8; Assago Milano; 20090; Italie